The Long Lost Friend
by TheReinbachDragonlord
Summary: Merlin receives a surprise visit from a long lost friend from his childhood, but not in any expected manor. As time goes on, Merlin is weakened by the troubled spirits that posses him. I do apologize for my fail summary, never was good :3 Wee bit of whump as I believe it's called! No slash. Special thanks to Loopstagirl for beta-ing this story! You are a LIFE SAVER!
1. Chapter 1

**Hello everyone! Welcome to The Long Lost Friend! This was my first every fanfiction and I hope you guys enjoy it! I'm slightly amused by the fact that I put some insurance up here that you would have to wait no more than a week for updates, when it has, in fact, been several months. If any of you regulars are reading the updated version, I am horibbly sorry and can promise that I am in the editing stages and hope to have it finished soon. Really, I feel awful. Anyways, hope you guys enjoy and I don't feel the need to do so really, but I ****_obviously _****(and sadly) don't own Merlin...Unless you count dvds.**

* * *

The sun was shining brightly as the young servant stepped out into the courtyard, his boots clicking against the cobblestone as he made his way through the noisy crowd to his master's chambers. He barreled hazardously up various flights of marble steps, only stopping to retrieve the breakfast tray from the kitchens before hurrying off.

"Rise and shine!" Merlin called over his shoulder, smirking as he pulled the curtains open to reveal the brilliant sunlight.

"_Mer_lin!" Arthur shouted. He pulled his pillow out from behind his head and replaced it over his face, grumbling all the while.

"Come on Arthur!" He sighed, the silver plate of meat and cheese clattering as he set it on the table, eyeing the shifting form beneath the linens.

"Shut _up_ Merlin!"

"Do you not _remember_ what _today_ _is_?" he questioned, eyebrows raised as he sidestepped the pillow that shot through the air.

"What do you mean '_what today is'_? You're probably just making-." Arthur growled, his complaints cut short when he sat up, a look of realization on his face.

"There we go…" Merlin muttered to himself, laying the king's clothes for the day carefully at the end of the bed.

Arthur slid out from the comforter and dragged himself over to the table and fell into his chair. He picked absently at the bread atop his plate, more of it crumbling than passing his lips as he stared ahead, eyes glazed over in thought.

"Before our guests arrive I'm going to need you to prepare the guest chambers, muck out the stables and ensure that the cook will have the food ready on time."

"Yes, sire." Merlin exited the room with a small bow, noting Arthur's concerned look. They had received word that Sir Lot and the Lady Emily would be arriving earlier than planned for the Peace Talks. Ever since he heard this news, Arthur has been ordering Merlin to make sure everything had been prepared early. Whether he had cleaned the guest chambers two or five times now, Merlin couldn't remember. But still, to ease the King's mind he went back in and checked that it was still in the condition he left it. Opening the door, he smiled proudly at the sight that met his eyes. The room was spotless and the golden light danced through the windows, reflecting off the table's waxed surface. He closed the door and continued down the corridor, descending the many flights of stairs to the kitchens.

"Audrey!" The scent of fresh bread mingled with rosemary filled his nose as he burst through the door.

"What is it this time, Merlin?" the plump cook asked impatiently, kneading a lump of pale dough aggressively, a scowl plastered across her flushed face.

"The king wanted me to ensure you have the food ready for Sir Lot and Lady Emily by the time they arrive."

"Well of course, I don't need to be checked up on! I know my duties and am perfectly capable of preforming them correctly and on time!" She waved the rolling pin threateningly at Merlin who was backing out of the kitchens "And keep your grubby fingers off my food!"

He then proceeded out into the courtyard, making him way to the stables holding three damp carrots in his right hand, his left shielding his eyes from the blinding sun.

"Hello Julie," Merlin ran his hand down the horse's black snout as she nibbled at the carrot, moving on to the next horse once she finished.

* * *

It was noon by the time he finished mucking out the stables meaning he had limited time to wash up for their guests. He hurried back to his chambers, dodging the bustle and nearly getting flattened by a man with a bucket once more on his way.

"Ahh, Merlin!" Gaius exclaimed looking up from a rancid, sizzling blue potion.

"No time to talk sorry, Gaius." He ran to his room to wash and get dressed in record timing.

He was just a blur as he ran past Gaius for the second time, trying to make it to Arthur's chambers before he could complain. Unfortunately he was too late.

"_Mer_lin, where _have _you _been_?" The king was descending the stairs, annoyance practically radiating off him.

"I assumed you'd prefer me to _wash_ after mucking out the horses? I don't think you would have made such a good impression with a servant covered in horse dung."

"Don't be such a _girl, _Merlin." Arthur drawled, trying to hide his look of reason with some friendly banter.

"…Prat." Merlin followed in Arthur's wake.

They stood out on the steps to the castle with all the knights, awaiting the arrival of the royalty. Ten minutes after a late knight ran to his position, the sound of wheels on cobblestone echoed through the square.

"Arthur!" Sir Lot was peering out the window of a small, powder blue carriage, grinning like a maniac as the horses slowed to a stop.

"Sir Lot!" Arthur made his way down the rest of the stairs to shake hands with his fellow king. "Here let me…"

He reached a hand out to the stunning Lady Emily. Her long, dark brown hair shone in the blazing sun, her smile as white as the stray clouds that dotted the sky, brown eyes glinting with kindness and skin like that of a porcelain doll.

"Thank you Arthur," Lady Emily took his hand and stepped out of the carriage, holding her green and silver dress up and sinking into a curtsey "It is a privilege to meet you."

"Likewise," He replied, lips grazing the back of her hand. "My servant Merlin here will lead you to your rooms."

"Follow me please," Merlin said with a smile, gathering their bags.

"Here, allow me." Lady Emily reached out to take one of the satchels with a smile.

"No, it's fine, you should rest. You've had a long journey."

The new arrivals followed Merlin up to the guest chambers, where they found a large platter of cheese and a selection of mouthwatering fruits settled at the center of the table.

"This is magnificent!" Lady Emily was positively glowing as she took in her surroundings, her father just smiled at her.

"How _do _you get this place so _clean_?" she marveled, looking at the shining surfaces.

"Ah, a servant must never reveal his trick!" Merlin said with a smile. "I will leave you to get settled, please call if you require anything else."

"Thank you Merlin." She replied with a generous smile.

* * *

It wasn't long until the others arrived. Bayard, Odin, Olaf, and Godwin, all with proud smiles as they laid their eyes upon the fresh new king.

"Welcome," Arthur greeted once more. "It is my honor to have you all here today; I hope to update the peace treaty made a few years back under my father's rule…"

"_Mer_lin," the king hissed from the corner of his mouth. The speech was obviously finished and he had been instructed to lead the new guests to their chambers.

"Sorry Sire, what did you say?" Merlin responded, shaking free from his thoughts.

"I asked you to lead our guests to their rooms…"

"Right, sorry." Merlin scurried off to lead the royalty into the castle, leaving Arthur in his desperate attempts to keep the concern off his face.

* * *

"Merlin, are you alright?" Arthur set aside the speech he was going over, looking at his, once again, disconnected servant. "_Merlin!"_

"Yes, My Dollopness?" Merlin asked, turning his head to face the table.

"I _asked_ if you are _alright_." He repeated, letting that comment slide.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" he replied with a half-hearted smile, stunning blue eyes still unfocused. Merlin wasn't one to complain about pain, whether it is physical or mental. Unless it was truly dangerous.

"No reason…" He stared once more as Merlin nodded, the pained look finding a home on his face once more.

"Wait, did you just ask if I was all right?" he asked suddenly, confusion mingling with amusment.

"Yes _Mer_lin." Arthur responded, rolling his eyes. They never quite came back up to meet his servant's.

"Why…?" Merlin dragged the word out, starring suspiciously at the king.

"I just…I mean I…I'm the king of Camelot, I don't have to answer to the likes of you _Mer_lin!"

* * *

The next morning saw Merlin entering the king's chamber with a breakfast platter, stopping short and almost dropping the food at the sight before him.

"You're up!" He observed sounding thoroughly surprised.

"I _am _capable at doing things for myself…" A flash of concern crossed his face as he noticed the dark circles under Merlin's eyes, contrasting with his pale skin, but went unnoticed while he laid out breakfast. "What is there to do today?"

"First you are to give a speech in front of all the kings, then you'll discuss the treaty, take a break for lunch, rounding the day off with the rest of business…"

* * *

The renewing of the treaty didn't take as long as they has anticipated; there wasn't much to discuss aside from a few things to polish off. They removed Sir Alined from the list of reliable kings once more and added the portions of land the noblemen gained over the years. Only three days had passed since the meetings began and they were already standing on the steps saying their farewells to the retreating friends of Camelot.

"Oh no," Lady Emily sighed. "I forgot my bag back in the chambers!"

Merlin walked over to them, having heard the woman's disappointment. "Sorry, I couldn't help but overhear; I could go and fetch your bag if you wish, my lady." He told her with a warm smile.

"Thanks you so much Merlin, you're a life saver!" She said squeezing his hand.

Merlin ran up the steps and opened the large wooden doors. Going as fast as he could without bodily protest, he finally made it to Lady Emily's chambers to find a small, colorful satchel sitting on the bed. He retraced his steps slowly, allowing time to catch his breath, holding the bag in his hands. As he neared the castle doors, he stopped dead in his tracks, dropping the satchel.

It wasn't long until the others arrived. Bayard, Odin, Olaf, and Godwin, all with proud smiles as they laid their eyes upon the fresh new king.

"Welcome," Arthur greeted once more. "It is my honor to have you all here today; I hope to update the peace treaty made a few years back under my father's rule…"

"_Mer_lin," the king hissed from the corner of his mouth. The speech was obviously finished and he had been instructed to lead the new guests to their chambers.

"Sorry Sire, what did you say?" Merlin responded, shaking free from his thoughts.

"I asked you to lead our guests to their rooms…"

"Right, sorry." Merlin scurried off to lead the royalty into the castle, leaving Arthur in his desperate attempts to keep the concern off his face.


	2. An Echo of the Past

It had been ten minutes since Merlin went to retrieve Lady Emily's bag. Arthur rolled his eyes, contemplating whether or not he should go and check if the useless lump had fallen down the stairs. Two minutes later, the king pushed the large, oak doors open with a heavy sigh.

"Merlin, what _are_ you-?" Arthur looked down to see his servant scrambling on the floor to get away from him.

It was apparent that the boy didn't want Arthur out of his sight, his eyes hardly even closing to blink. The king noted the look of pure, unrestrained terror on the boy's face as he walked closer.

"Merlin…?" Even when he stopped, the servant still backed away, but his eyes were no longer on his master, but the air in front of him.

"No, please! I'm sorry, I didn't…Please, I'm sorry!" Merlin whispered, dazzling blue eyes glistening with tears; he repeated the same thing, saying nothing else.

"Merlin!" he tried once more to snap him out of it- what _it _was- but he didn't even seem to notice Arthur.

"Please, I didn't-," Merlin looked up as if someone were standing over him, shaking his head. The look of terror on his face before was nothing compared to now petrified stare.

"Wait-!" The shout echoed through the hall as his arm rose to shield his face against the invisible distraction.

He cried out in pain as a glowing blue slash appeared on the outstretched arm. The wound sizzled, the cloth surrounding it blackened and scorched. His eyes rolled into the back of his head as he slipped into the relief of unconsciousness, his limp body dropping back on the cold, stone floor.

Arthur bent down and retrieved the pack lying dejectedly on the floor, taking a couple hurried steps forward and scooping the limp Merlin up into his arms before he turned around and sprinted out the door.

"Here," He thrust the bag into Lady Emily's bag, ignoring her questions about Merlin and proceeded to run to the Physician's chambers, shifting the light weight over his shoulder.

"Arthur," Gaius exclaimed practically jumping out of his skin, a vial shattered as the king kicked the door open. "Merlin!"

Gaius stepped over the broken potion, hurrying to the patient's bed, using a book to push everything off onto the floor, lying it down at the top as a makeshift pillow.

"What happened?" He took Merlin's coat off and rolled up the sleeve of his rough, blue tunic, careful not the touch the slightly luminous wound.

"I went into the castle and found him on the floor, he was muttering to someone, pleading with them, saying that he 'didn't…'Then he got this cut out of _thin air_- the clumsy fool!" he added under his breath "At first it was blue, but as you can see now it softened to a white glow. It must have been magic, Gaius…powerful magic. He passed out from the pain of one small wound…Leave it to _Merlin _to get a wound from _thin air_!"

"Thank you Arthur, I'll take care of him, but you should get back to Lord Lot. You wouldn't want to keep him waiting."

"Will he be ok?" Arthur tried his best to hide the amount concern he was feeling for a servant. Tried but failed. Gaius knew the king better than he knew himself.

"I am sure. Thank you Sire, but you must go!"

He made his way back to the center of the courtyard to find that Gwaine had finally made it to Lady Emily and was shamelessly flirting with her, tucking a pink lily behind her ear.

"I'm terribly sorry for making you wait," Arthur said shaking his head, trying his best to ease his look of worry to a look of joy…It didn't work.

"What happened," Lady Emily asked looking agitated. "Is Merlin alright?"

"He'll be fine!" he managed a small smile as her face relaxed.

"Thank you so much for this Arthur!" Sir Lot took hold of Arthur's hand in a tight shake as Gwaine said his goodbyes to Lady Emily and they were soon riding off, their carriage rumbling around the corner and out of Camelot's walls.

Arthur turned away shaking his head at Gwaine.

"Can't blame a guy for trying!" He said with a shrug and a smile He turned in the other direction swaggering on his way to the tavern.

* * *

"How is he?" Arthur asked quietly, shutting the door behind him.

"He seems fine Sire, he is resting now but you're welcome to go up." Gaius gestured to Merlin's room.

He went up without a sound.

"What have you done to yourself you idiot?" Arthur muttered to himself, standing over Merlin, looking at his pale face.

"Oi, who're you calling an idiot, you prat?" Merlin mumbled as he opened his eyes.

Arthur smirked, "How do you feel?"

"Fine, fine…" He shifted, leaning his back against the wall.

"The look on your face begs to differ," Arthur informed him. "What happened?"

"It's-it's nothing…" he mumbled looking down at his hands.

"Really? Good, I thought so too! You just got slashed at from thin air, of course everything is alri-!"

"Just leave it, Arthur." He said firmly.

He looked up at Merlin's face, it was filled with pain though he tried to hide it. He could see it in his eyes.

* * *

Merlin couldn't sleep that night. He tossed and turned as an old nightmare returned to the surface.

_"Don't worry, you'll be safe here Molly!" A young teenager led a girl, an equal age, into an empty house._

_"Merlin!" The girl whispered, tears streaming down her face getting tangled in her ginger hair._

_"In here," He opened the doors to a large, empty cupboard and crawled inside, offering his hand to the girl. "It'll be ok."_

_She accepted his hand and climbed in as well. The doors pulled shut with a small thud. It was dark and he could only see the outline of his shaking friend, but he could hear her as she tried to stifle her sobs._

_"Shhh, come here." Merlin pulled her into his arms and did his best to comfort her. They both fell asleep to the soft rhythm of the calming noise._

"No…," Merlin groaned. His face was screwed up in pain, the blankets getting tangled in his limbs as he thrashed in his sleep. "No, please!"

_"No!" The young warlock yelled, throwing off the doors to the cupboard with a flash of his eye. He looked down at the girl in his arms as her blood covered his hands._

_"No, no, no, I said I'd keep you safe!" He cried, still holding her body tight._

'Why didn't they kill me as well?' _He thought '_It doesn't make sense to just kill _her_!'

Merlin woke with a start and fell out of bed with a gasp and a thud.

"_You_ did this to me _Merlin_!" the girl's voice was shaking to room and she glowered at him from beside his bed.

"No, I swear I didn't!" Tears leaked out of his eyes as he stared at the glowing spirit of the girl that had once been his best friend, a shimmering silver splotch on the left side of her nightgown.

"_You_ did this to me, and YOU WILL PAY!" Her voice was distorted as she yelled at him, the same blade as before materializing in her hand.

She lunged forward and started slashing anywhere on his body she could get to while screaming, '_Liminaspiritusaperuit_!'

Merlin was teeming with pain, white hot flames licking at his skin, burning into his very soul. A deafening scream escaped his lips. She stepped back to admire her work on the writhing warlock and she appeared to be satisfied. Before she dissolved into a wisp of air she said one last thing '_Spiritus vindice mundi, adsurgere liberum in hoc noluit anima'_

* * *

Arthur rolled out of bed with a growl. People just don't know how to keep it down! He walked over to his window and pulled aside the curtain to see if he could spot the source of that horrible yell in the moonlit courtyard. A glowing light caught his eye; it was spilling from the separate entrance to the Physician's chambers. He pulled on a shirt and proceeded to pay his _friends_ a little visit. As he neared the hallway a sign next to a wooden door reading 'Court Physician,' he realized both the light and the noise were coming from inside.

"_Honestly_ you could wake the whole castle with that noise!" He yelled over the disturbance, opening the door, but something was off. Gaius was still asleep and the light wasn't coming from in here. It was spilling from Merlin's room.

* * *

**A/N: I hope you guys are enjoying it so far! I know it's short, but there's really nothing I can do about that at this point :/ I promise that I'm trying to make the other fanfictions that I'm writing longer!**

**xxXTheReinbachDragonlord **


	3. Revenge of the Raid

**A/N: Hey guys! I hope you're liking it so far! It isn't as horrible as I thought it was, but I am a bit disappointed in past-me :P Anyways, the action is beginning! Hope you all enjoy. *tips hat and bows out***

* * *

Arthur ran to the door and pulled it open, almost falling back down the stairs at the sight that met his eyes. Merlin was eagle spread in mid-air surrounded by a florescent blue light and covered in small, glowing cuts, yelling-from the look on his face-in unimaginable pain. He could only watch in horror, frozen to his spot in the doorway, transfixed by the scene in front of him, unable to do anything as he watched his friend writhed and screamed in pain. Finally shaking free from the shocking trance, Arthur ran forward to help.

"Merlin," He yelled frantically, reaching out to pull him down. "Argh!"

He snatched his hand back as it sizzled in protest. The light itself was the cause of the pain; Arthur couldn't touch it without burning his hand. If it was affecting him that much, he couldn't imagine what his servant felt right now. Just as these thoughts passed through his mind, the yelling finally stopped and Merlin fell to the bed, limp and bleeding.

"Merlin," Arthur hissed as he knelt beside the bed shaking the young boy. "Merlin!"

He was starting to-no, he was _past_ worried, he started worrying the moment he walked in. He feared that the blue light had killed his only true friend, but just as these thoughts slipped into his mind, Merlin let out a small groan, screwing his face up in pain.

"Merlin! Merlin, are you ok?" He asked, his voice cracked but he didn't care, all he needed was for the young man in front of him to answer. Arthur turned him onto his back, not hearing his friend's muttering.

"Mo…lly…why?" Merlin whispered his voice full of pain as a tear broke free from under the shelter of his closed eye. Then he went silent.

The king stood up and stumbled down the stairs, sprinting over to the snoring form in the corner of the room. He slid down on the floor next the bed.

"Gaius, GAIUS!" Arthur yelled in the old man's ear, shaking him violently.

He merely grunted and turned over in response.

"Gaius, wake up!" Arthur slapped him in the face once more.

"Hmmm?" His soft, grey eyes fluttered open. "Sire!"

"Gaius, finally!"

"What is it?" He asked sitting up quickly when he saw the alarm in the young man's face.

"Merlin, I don't know what's happened!"

The aging physician got out of bed as fast as his aching joints allowed him and was ushered up the stairs by an anxious Arthur through his ward's open door.

"Oh, my dear boy!" He gasped. "Arthur, please light a candle would you? I will bring my supplies up."

Arthur fumbled with the flint as he lit the candle, setting it by the bedside and fidgeting continuously as he waited for Gaius to return to the room.

"Is he going to be all right?" the king asked quietly as the man examined the boy.

"I believe so, Sire." He responded, beginning to clean the many wounds that Merlin had acquired.

* * *

A pounding in Merlin's head when he woke told him something was wrong. As he opened his eyes, he couldn't help but groan at the bright sunlight streaming in through the window. Blinking rapidly against the intrusion, he forced his eyes to focus, taking in his surroundings

"Arthur_?"_ he mumbled, slightly confused as his eyes found the king sitting in a stool beside his bed.

Arthur woke with a start. "_Merlin!" _

"What happened?" He groaned, shifting up against the wall with a wince. "Last thing I remember…"

Arthur looked at him curiously as he trailed off with a grimace, before he tried to hide his true emotion.

"Merlin, what happened?" he asked, cursing himself silently as it came out much to gentle for his liking.

Merlin glanced at him, confused by the warmth in his master's tone. "I-uh-,"

"_Don't_ say 'nothing' Merlin! _Clearly_ something happened!" he said, gesturing to the wounds that covered the boy's body.

"Iuhntotalkboutit." Merlin muttered incoherently, suddenly becoming very interested in his hands.

"What did you say?" Arthur asked, this time a bit too harshly, he was sick of Merlin evading his questions.

Merlin bit his lip and looked away from Arthur, but he wasn't quick enough. Arthur caught the all too familiar expression of betrayal etched upon the young man's face.

"Merlin," He said quietly placing his hand on Merlin's arm, causing him to wince. "You can talk to me."

He turned back and locked eyes with Arthur. He could see the concern burning in Arthur's eyes, but it was quickly masked as his own were glazed with tears. "It…It was just…someone I knew…" He said quietly.

"What do you mean 'someone you knew,'" Arthur asked, encouraging him to go on "Who was it, who did this to you?"

"Her name was Molly." A tear rolled down his cheek. "I knew her back in Ealdor…before-"

His breath caught in his throat and he looked away once more, but Arthur could tell he couldn't hold back the tears. He got up to go and check with Gaius, allowing Merlin the privacy he needed.

"What time is it?" Arthur yawned curiously as he neared Gaius, watching him mix herbs and liquid, forming green goo.

"Just past six in the morning, Sire." Gaius smiled as the king rubbed his sore neck. Sleeping on a stool was not easy on the muscles.

"Have you been up there yet?"

"No, not yet." The man was suddenly fascinated with one of his books, a grim look gracing his features.

"Who's Molly?" Arthur asked suddenly.

"Who?" He asked, looking up in confusion at the seemingly random question, his eyebrows pressed together.

"Merlin said that someone he knew did this to him, someone back in Ealdor named Molly."

"He's never mentioned her to me, but I will write a letter to Hunith as soon as possible."

"Thank you." Arthur left without another word.

* * *

The king sighed as he entered his chambers.

"Breakfast Sire!" George chirped, smiling as his master entered, revealing a large tray of food.

"Thank you, George." He sat down to eat, but George just rattled on.

Arthur sighed, simply staring past the servant; he couldn't help but let his mind wander to Merlin. What would have happened if he was surrounded by that light any longer? Or if the king hadn't gotten there when he did? What would have happened if Gaius didn't get to him on time? As so many questions raced through his head it all came down to one grievous thought. What if Merlin hadn't made it?

"…I have already mucked out the stables, cleaned your room, laid your clothes out for the day, repaired your armor, fed your dogs and one of the brass buttons came loose of your coat so I fixed that as well." He proudly puffed out his chest.

'_Oh no…'_ Arthur thought snapping from his daze and staring at the servant. _'Here it comes.'_

"Why Sire, do you know what's brown and sticky but shines all over?" He asked, smiling.

"Brass…?" he murmured.

"Brass cleaner!" the man shook with laughter; Arthur hadn't seen anyone laugh this hard at a court _jester's_ joke.

"Thank you George, that'll be all." George left the room, still chortling, until he finally reached the end of the hall.

There was a soft knock on the door that followed.

"Enter." Arthur called in a distracted voice; he couldn't keep his thoughts from Merlin.

"Hello, Sire!" Gwen looked down the hall in concern.

"Guinevere! What brings you here?"

"Was that George?" She asked looking down the hall once more.

"Yes," He paused and when she didn't answer, said, "So you just came to ask about George?"

"No, sorry I-Why is he laughing like that?"

"Because he's an imbecile."

She shot him a disapproving look, then continued, "We just received word that Sir Everett of Essiter died from his wounds earlier this morning."

"And why were _you_ sent to tell me this?"

She just stared at him.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean it like that. What I _meant _was why are _you_ telling me this? Usually Sir Eric or Sir Gwaine would be the one to deliver this message."

"I was on my way up here anyway so I told them I'd tell you. Well not on my way up _here_ obviously, just here…On this floor, well not on _this floo-_"

"Gwen…"

"I'm sorry to bother you Sire…"

"Gwen…"

"I won't disturb you again!"

"Guinev_ere_!"

"Yes Sire?" She asked nervously turning around.

"Thank you."

She smiled at him before sliding out the door.

* * *

Merlin woke with a start, a cold shiver finding a home in his spine. He slowly got out of bed, the pain from the cuts now gone, and opened the door. He walked down the stairs as quietly as possible; Gaius didn't even look up, as he crept to the other side of the room. He slipped out and walked to the courtyard, staying in the shadows. He walked calmly across the moonlit cobblestone and right into the crowded tavern. Still sticking to the walls, he wove his way through the shouting men, still going unnoticed. Even when he unsheathed a man's sword. Slipping past the bartender he found refuge on the darkened stairs leading to the inn, listening at every door until he heard it. Pushing it open with a creak he stepped inside, revealing the owner of the voice he recognized.

"Oi, what do you think you're doing in here?" the man yelled. He was a round but muscular man with next to no hair and yellow teeth.

"I believe you're the one I seek." Merlin said a flash of danger in his eyes.

"And what does a lad like you want with me?"

"_Revenge._" Merlin walked forward, backing the confused man into the corner.

"Revenge? Revenge for what?"

"Revenge…for my death," He slid the sword into the man's gut. "_You ,_Garth Laken, are the man who killed me. The man who raided my town, taking our _food_. And you will pay."

The man's eyes widened and he slid down the wall; Merlin withdrew the sword from his torso with a sickening squelch and walked out without looking back. He sidled out of the bar, going back to the young man's chambers; he didn't have much time left. He broke into a run, across the courtyard, the bloodied sword pumping in his hand. He steadied his pace when he got to the door and opened it slowly. He had to be quiet and slow for people not to notice him. He scampered up to the room when the old man had his back turned, climbing into bed and sliding the sword underneath. Just then a cold shiver shot through his spine again. He groaned in pain as he lost his balance and fell on the floor, not remembering how he got there or what he was doing.

"Merlin!" Gaius shouted making him jump. "What are you doing on the floor?"

"Fell out of bed I guess," he got up carefully and got back into bed.

"How do you feel?"

"Fine…I'm fine…" He smiled at his guardian sleepily as the man nodded, leaving the boy to settle down in his bed and get some much needed rest.


	4. Problems Discovered

Arthur awoke the next morning to the sound of the warning bell ringing and Sir Leon entering his chambers.

"Sorry to disturb you Sire, but we require your presence in the inn at once."

Leon stepped outside of the room, allowing his king some privacy while he dressed, then they made their way to the tavern.

"Evoric found him like this earlier this morning," Sir Leon informed him as they stood in the doorway, looking at the pale body of a thug. Gaius was hovering nearby, clearly having just finished his examination the body.

"By the looks of the wound and the amount of blood he lost, I would say he died sometime last night." The court physician stood in the far corner, hands clasped behind his back.

"Did anyone come through here last night?" Arthur asked the lingering innkeeper.

"Not that I know of. We had quite a crowd last night…" He informed the king, his face had lost all of its normal color, and he was bearing a startled expression.

"That will be all Evoric, thank you." Arthur dismissed the man with a wave of his hand. He promptly bowed and sped from the room, not even daring to glance back.

"Does he have any identification?" Arthur had begun to study the room even as he addressed Leon.

"I'm afraid not Sire, there are no personal items in his bag."

"Thank you, Leon." With a nod of his head Arthur was off. There was a council meeting to prepare for.

* * *

Once again, Merlin awoke in his bed, sitting up slowly as he rubbed the back of his head and yawned, the moonlight softly filing the room. He closed his eyes and thought a moment, attempting to remember what he had to do tonight. He stood up and dressed, not noticing the rough fabric rubbing against his open wounds. The young boy pushed the door open with a small creak, finding his guardian snoring loudly. He crept past as quietly as possible and jumped when Gaius mumbled and rolled over without waking. Making it the rest of the way to the door, he pulled it open with a shaking hand. Turning right, he made his way down the moonlit corridor. A cool breeze whipped his face when he strode out across the cobblestone, looking around for any sign of life before walking up the stone steps and into the main castle. He knew all the shortcuts through here like the back of his hand; luckily one of them just happened to drop him right near the armory. He opened the door as little as possible and slid in, taking in all the glimmering metal that surrounded him. Walking to a small shelf on the side, Merlin pulled open the lid of a long wooden box. He lifted the dagger from its cushion and weighed it in his hands. Sidling out the door, he tucked the small blade into his waistband, turning to the right and continuing forth to his destination. Even though the corridors were empty, his footsteps didn't echo, almost as if he were weightless…He knocked softly on the cherry door he now stood in front of.

"Merlin," the man's voice boomed as he opened the door. His smile quickly faded when he saw the cuts across Merlin's face. "You look bloody awful!"

"Why thanks Geraint, it's nice to see you too!" Merlin couldn't help but laugh back.

"Right, sorry!" Geraint said stepping back allowing the boy to enter "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Sir Geraint was a tall man with short, sandy blonde hair and ginger stubble covering his square head, bright blue eyes contrasting with the dark navy sleeping shirt he wore.

"There have been whispers of a girl named Lillian; I just wanted to check if they were true so I could clear the air for you…" Merlin chose his words carefully.

"Yes." He said after a long pause "Erm…She was my lover for a while, but things just…didn't work out…"

"What happened?" Merlin asked gently, letting out a slow, forced breath as he tried to hold back a scoff.

"Well…Being a knight in training doesn't allow a lot of spare time…" He said, awkwardly rubbing the back of his head "I didn't have enough time off to spend with her…So-erm-she broke it off…"

This time he didn't hold back, the scoff earned him an uncomfortable glance.

"She would have waited for you!" Merlin nearly shouted, crossing his arms.

"What?"

"She would've waited for you, but you had to go and break her heart!"

"Merlin, what the hell are you talking about?"

"Oh, so _that's _what you call me now? I liked it better when you were calling me '_mum'_!" he spat, pulling out the dagger and backing the knight against the wall.

"_Merlin_, what are you doing?" His eyes were wide and horrified as the blade pushed against his neck, his hands raised is surrender.

"You broke my daughter's heart…Now I'm going to break yours."

And with that he pulled the blade away from his neck, only to bring it back and stab him in the chest, ignoring the knight's frantic pleas.

"_That_ is for my daughter! She would have waited for you to become a knight, but _no_! You couldn't be _seen _with her! You could have easily dated her with no one noticing but you didn't want to take that risk, no matter if she loved you!"

"I-I didn't want this…It-it was Sir Cador he made…made me…" Geraint clutched the wound as he sputterd, and with one, last shaking breath, he died.

Merlin sat back on his heels looking at the dagger in his hand, blood sliding down the cool metal onto his skin. He walked over to the door but backed away as soon as he reached it, hearing footsteps approaching. There was no way out. He looked around frantically, spotting a vase sitting in the middle of the man's table. He grabbed it and hurried back in front of the dead knight bleeding on the floor, throwing down the weapon. After hesitating, he bashed the blue vase over his head, falling to the floor. The last thing he remembered was a chill traveling up his spine, then blackness.

* * *

"_Mer_lin!" a distant voice was calling him, but who did it belong to?

"Merlin!" It called again.

He opened his eyes and blinked away his daze.

"What happened?" Merlin asked, shuffling into a sitting position with a groan. The owner of the voice appeared to be Arthur. He was rising from a crouch, clearly having been the one trying to rouse the boy. His face bore an emotionless mask, but he couldn't hide the slight glint of concern in his eyes.

"I was going to ask you the same thing!" the king said, eyebrows raised, gesturing to his right. Merlin looked over.

Merlin blanched, scrambling backwards slightly, eyes wide. "There's a dead body next to me," he said quietly, voice low with panic. "Sir _Geraint's _dead body is next to me. Arthur, why the hell am I next to Sir Geraint's body?"

"Merlin, what happened?" Arthur couldn't help the suspicion growing in the back of his mind as he gauged the servant's reaction.

"I-I don't remember." He responded, furrowing his brow and rubbing his head.

"What is the last thing you _do _remember?" Arthur helped Merlin to his feet.

"Well…I was coming to talk to Sir Geraint about…about…" He swayed dangerously before falling into Arthur's awaiting arms.

"Merlin, can you do _anything_ right?" Arthur demanded stubbornly. He pushed the boy back to his feet before trying again. "What were you coming to talk to him about?"

"I-uh- I don't remember…I just remember him greeting me and then waking up here…Who could have done this?"

"Well gee _Mer_lin, let's think," He said in mock confusion. "Who would want to kill a knight? It's not like he had many enemies!"

Merlin glared at him, clearly bemused by the king's sarcasm.

"What were you doing out of bed anyway?" Arthur asked, arms crossed.

"I don't know…I just-I just barely remember him opening the door…" He answered shaking his head again, he couldn't rid himself of the haze.

"Come on…" Arthur sighed, turning to leave to room as he did so.

"Where are we going?" Merlin asked, stumbling after him almost without thinking what he was doing. It just came as second nature to follow Arthur these days.

"Where do you think _Mer_lin? Look at the state you're in!"

Walking down the hall a few paces behind Arthur, Merlin stopped abruptly as he felt his stomach lurch.

* * *

"So pray tell, _how_ exactly did you not notice someone come into the room? You were both standing right in front of the door!" Arthur threw his hands up in exasperation. Being a Knight, he thought that he noticed everything and therefore couldn't understand when others missed details that he needed to be filled in.

All he got in response was a small scuffle and a sharp intake of breath.

"Well that's hardly a response _Mer_lin." he muttered, rolling his eyes as he turned around. His body immediately stiffened when he did so. Merlin was on all fours, his breathing rapid, sweat glistening on his forehead. For a moment, he couldn't move, thoughts of the vase causing further damage plaguing his mind. He blinked rapidly, pushing the dark thoughts away before finally moving.

"Merlin," he breathed, sliding onto the floor next to the boy. "What happened?"

"Arthur…I-I feel…" And with that, Merlin tumbled onto his side, eyes closed.

"_Honestly _Merlin!" he sighed trying to rouse his friend. No such luck.

After a few minutes he finally resorted to slinging his friend over his shoulder and carrying him down to Gaius, distress coursing through his veins.

* * *

"Come in," Gaius called after the soft knock on his door.

Arthur moved slowly into the room with a sigh, causing Gaius to look around.

"What happened?" the old man asked. He jumped from his stool and lead the king to the patient's bed.

"I'm not sure; he just collapsed in the hallway…" Arthur muttered, placing Merlin down on top of the worn blanket.

"Where were you two? I looked everywhere; I thought I told you he needed his rest!"

"It's not my fault! The idiot was found in Sir Geraint's chambers!" the king practically yelled, his arms crossed once again.

"What was he doing there?" Gaius questioned curiously, looking up from his shivering ward to the defensive King as he did so.

"He said he doesn't remember…" Arthur replied, softening his voice as he glanced towards Merlin's still figure. "Is he ok?"

"Well he has a fever, we have to keep him warm, but there are no other signs of physical afflictions."

"Then what happened to him?"

"We will have to wait until he wakes up, then we can ask."

The king just answered with a sigh. Once again placing Merlin over his shoulder, he took him up to his room, thinking that he would be more comfortable on his own bed.

* * *

"Rise and shine!" Arthur groaned as the sunlight assaulted his eyes from the newly drawn curtains.

"Goaway!" he groaned, putting his pillow over his face in a feeble attempt to block out some of the light.

"Your breakfast is ready Sire."

Arthur removed the pillow and glared at George as he smiled cheerily over at him. He slowly rolled out of bed and dragged his feet over to the table, sitting down and beginning to eat sluggishly. He was halfway through a sausage when a knock echoed throughout the room.

"Enter." The king called, setting the meat back down.

"Good morning Sire, I've been sent to inform you that your servant Merlin is awake." A small servant squeaked from the doorway. She finally looked up from the floor, shooting George a small smile before turning around and scampering away.

"I have your clothes laid out already Sire!" the man said proudly, gesturing to the clothes lying on the bed.

"Thank you, George." In all honesty, Arthur had given up trying to change George, it was never going to happen.

Arthur dressed quickly and ate his last sausage on his way down to Merlin's chambers. He knocked on the door before entering to find Gaius grinding away at some herbs with a mortar and pestle. The court physician silently gestured to the wooden door at the top of the stairs, Arthur responded with a nod before making his way up the steps and entering without knocking.

"Arthur!" Merlin croaked in surprise, trying to shift up into a sitting position when he saw the king.

"Merlin, how do you feel?" Arthur replied, wandering to the left side of the warlock's bed.

"I'm fine!" Merlin tried to smile weakly, even as he spoke.

"What happened _Mer_lin?"

"Nothing, it's probably just the heat…"

"The heat, Merlin, you haven't been outside for days!"

"Maybe it's my master's constant badgering?"

"Well if you weren't such a useless servant then I wouldn't have to badger you!"

Merlin laughed but stopped almost as soon as he started, a pained expression painted across his face as he gripped his chest.

"What is it?" All thoughts of masking his concern vanished when he saw the look on Merlin's face.

"Nothing, nothing! I probably just pulled a muscle." Merlin said quickly. Arthur didn't buy it, but he couldn't force Merlin to tell him the truth either.

"Fine then, I have work to do…" He marched down stairs into the sweet smelling room and walked over to Gaius's work table.

"Gaius, what's wrong with him?"

"He just seems to be weak. He said that he felt lightheaded and dizzy before he fainted yesterday. It's probably just exhaustion."

"Ok…Send for me if anything changes…"

* * *

Once again, Merlin slipped past Gaius, marveling at how unobservant the man was. He had his sword in hand, but he faced a greater challenge this time. He dodged in and out of the crowd of town's people hustling in all directions, making his way to the blacksmith's house and ignoring gravity's pull on his weak muscles. Once he broke free of the crowd, he rounded the corner, almost running into two cloaked figures. He was surprised to see the Lady Vivian, her hood drawn up on her long black cloak, talking to a smaller girl. They both stared at him as he nodded with a smile and continued on; as soon as he turned around they carried on with their conversation.

"I was thinking roses and daises for the garland…Has he picked out the wedding band yet?"

'_Weddings…Typical girl talk…' _He smiled reminiscently to himself but stopped abruptly as he reached his destination. He slid up to the door, holding the blade flat against his chest. He pushed the door open with a creak to find the beautiful seamstress with her back turned to him. He shut the door and crept closer, hiding the sword behind his back. Gwen squeaked as she turned around.

"Merlin, you scared me!" She gasped, resting a hand on her chest. "Oh, you look awful, poor thing!"

The boy just stood there, a frightful look on his face.

"You better have a good reason for scaring me like that!" She told him as she folded a sheet of cloth, trying to resume what she had been doing before Merlin had entered.

Once again he had his sword in the air, stepping closer.

"Merlin, what are you doing?" She asked with a trembling voice, jumping back when she saw the weapon, fear glinting noticeably in her eyes.

"Taking my revenge…It was _your _father who gave my son that blunt sword; it was _your _father's fault that it was a useless blade, he lost his life in ba-!"

There was a loud clang and Merlin dropped to the floor with a loud thud.

"Elyan!" Gwen gasped. She ran forward to hug her brother as he put down the pot.

"What happened?" he asked his sister as he gazed down at the limp form of his friend.

"I don't know, he just came in, didn't say a word! Then all of a sudden he was pointing that sword at me saying that it was Father's fault for his son's death…"

"Why would he say that?" Elyan let go of Gwen and knelt down next to Merlin "He looks bloody awful…you should go get Arthur. I'll stay here and keep an eye on him."

* * *

"Enter," Arthur replied to the knock "Guinevere!"

"Sire." She dropped into a small curtsey, concern written plainly across her face.

"What's wrong?" Arthur asked, smile faltering as he noticed.

"It's Merlin…"

"Is he alright?" he sat up straighter. Gwen was the only other person who could see through his neutral mask.

"I don't know, he was in our house and, well…you should just come and see for yourself…I mean, if you don't mind…if you're not busy…"

The king stood up, silencing the maid and rested his hand on her lower back, leading her out of the room and they made their way outside.

"What happened," he asked crouching next to the Merlin. "He's out cold!"

"He came in and started saying all this stuff about how it was our father's fault that his son died in battle, that the sword he made for him was blunt. He said he came for revenge…" She informed him, biting her lower lip with a furrowed brow.

"Merlin said this? Why would he say he has a son?" he looked up at her, eyes confused and nose wrinkled. Gwen shook her head, not knowing the answers to the king's questions. She simply didn't know what to say. None of it made any sense to her.

Just then Merlin let out a small groan and grimaced before opening his eyes.

"What am I doing here?" he asked hoarsely, lifting his head slowly and taking in his surroundings Confusion more than obvious in his expression, his eyes clouded with lingering pain.

"Merlin, what is the last thing you remember?" Gwen asked timidly, moving into his line of view.

He thought for a moment and then said, "I dunno know…I think I was sleeping."

Elyan, Gwen and Arthur exchanged looks.

"Ugh, how did I get here?" he asked, turning over and trying to stand up. He started to sway but Arthur caught him once again before he fell.

"You clumsy fool…" Arthur mumbled fondly, lifting him back to his feet and keeping a hand on his shoulder.

"Prat…" he responded, smirking at Arthur.

"So you have no idea what you're doing here?" Arthur asked, back to all business as he looked Merlin directly in the eye.

"No, Gaius won't even let me leave our chambers." He responded, rubbing his temple with one hand.

"Come on, let's get you back home." Arthur steered him out the door, making sure he didn't fall on the way.

* * *

"Merlin!" Gaius shouted looking surprised "When did you leave?"

Arthur shook his head and continued to lead Merlin towards his bedroom, allowing him to collapse in bed.

"I'm going to go talk to Gaius." Arthur said simply and went back the way he came.

"Arthur, what happened?" Gaius' face was all confusion. "I didn't even see Merlin leave!"

"Gaius, he doesn't remember leaving. He said the last thing he remembers was sleeping."

The man contemplated this for a moment before asking, "Do you know if he has hit his head recently?" the physician lit a candle and hobbled to the bookshelf.

"Not that I know of, but it wouldn't surprise me if he had."

There was a creak of the stairs and they both turned around to see Merlin trying to sneak off yet again, sword in hand.

"Merlin, where do you think you're going?" Gaius asked sassily.

"I seek King Arthur." He stated, turning towards his guardian with a blank face.

"Merlin, I'm right here…" Arthur said stepping forward, concern etched across his every feature. There was something so wrong about this, something that he couldn't quite put his finger on, but Arthur was determined to find out. This was not like Merlin in the slightest.

Merlin's head snapped toward him and he raised his sword.

"What are you doing?"

"_Rache_." He hissed, advancing. Arthur unsheathed his own sword as the boy darted forward quickly, and soon the two began to battle.

He was surprised at how well this gangly boy could fight with a sword, he hadn't even flinched.

"Merlin what the _hell_ are you doing?" Arthur yelled. But he got no response.

Merlin had somehow backed him into the corner, pressing his sword inwards, pushing Arthur's towards his throat. He wouldn't take any more of this. He kneed Merlin in the stomach, making his double over, and then proceeded to hit his fighting hand with the hilt of his sword. He dropped his own and looked up at Arthur. Just then Merlin's eyes rolled back and he hit the floor, blue smoke flowed out of his mouth.

* * *

**A/N: *cackles* It's ****_finally _****starting to get good! Thank you all who are reading this story! :***


	5. Problem Solved

**A/N: Hey guys! I'm sooooo sorry! I am way too late! It turns out that I forgot to check my fanfiction email and got my betad version two days ago...Sorry!**

**I also just realized how stupid I am...I'm a wretched old cow. I somehow forgot to thank you all for your reviews! It means the world to me and it's mostly what keeps me writing **

**And also, a ****_huuuuge_**** thanks to my beta-reader Loopstagirl! She is completely amazing and I wouldn't be here without her In fact, I'd probably be locked in the dungeons with a hell fire sentence...But yeah, she's also a supermegafoxyawesomehot writer, therefor you must check her out! You won't regret it, I promise!**

**Ten house point to whoever can spot the reference ^.^ Enjoy!**

* * *

"Merlin!" Arthur yelled into his ear for the fifth time, worry was in his veins, flowing side by side with his blood. "Gaius, what happened?"

"I believe…aha!" Gaius pulled a worn, leather book down from the shelf and flipped through it, running his finger down the pages as he spoke. His brow was furrowed in concentration as his eyes almost flew across the words, clearly agitated. "It seems he was being possessed!"

"Possessed?" Arthur felt his jaw drop, astonishment racing through him as he glanced at his servant. He wasn't quite sure what to make of it all - Gaius wouldn't lie to him about something like this, but things always got so much more complicated when magic became involved.

"I'm afraid so Sire, it seems that Merlin was responsible for the recent string of deaths."

"But Merlin can't even hurt a fly!" Arthur exclaimed angrily, gesturing to the boy lying at his feet, he was shocked that Gaius would suggest such a thing.

"But it _wasn't_ Merlin! He is being possessed by vengeful spirits, those who have business left in Camelot." The old man explained, his voice practically dripping with forced patience as he stepped towards to king

"Rache-?" he started, a confused look on his face as he stared at nothing, searching his mind for an answer

"Is German for revenge." Gaius supplied, his shoulders sagged in relief as the conversation distracting him from further research died away

Arthur stared down at Merlin, unsure of what to say next…but apparently Merlin did.

"_Liminaspiritusaperuit…" _Merlin muttered, eyes still closed but seeming to be rolling under the lids.

Arthur looked up at Gaius questioningly.

"_Spiritus vindice mundi, adsurgere liberum in hoc noluit anima_."

"Gaius what is this? What is he saying?" Arthur asked, furrowing his brow. He wasn't plentiful on knowledge of the Old Religion, but he could recognize a spell when he heard one. And this one. This one was coming from his best friend.

Merlin broke into a sweat, teeth chattering.

"I don't know Sire…" Gaius said quickly, breaking through his reverie

"Somewhere, in _one _of these books, you _must_ have a translation for this spell!"

"Sire I don't-."

"Gaius, you must have kept some of your old books, just check!" Arthur shouted.

The old man hobbled away, pulling down books. He then sat at the table and began flicking through them distractedly. Arthur picked Merlin up, carrying him upstairs and laying him on the bed. Feeling his forehead, he discovered a fever beginning to brew.

"Of course you'd be the one to go and get yourself possessed, you idiot." He murmured shifting Merlin under the covers to keep him warm. He started towards the door, looking back as if hoping his friend would just sit up and snap back with one of his surly retorts. But of course he didn't. Arthur took a calming breath then went back down stairs the check if Gaius had found anything.

"Here!" Gaius said, just as the king opened his mouth to ask "The first spell means 'He opens to door', the second one means 'Vengeful spirit of the world, this would not soar in the freedom of the soul.'"

"So he opened a door then…?"

"The second possible translation is 'Vengeful spirits enter this unwilling soul.'"

"So that would be the spell that was cast upon Merlin?" Arthur asked, sitting down across from the old man. This was beyond him, he wasn't sure what he was expected to do when magic was involved. If it had been any other person, he might have been able to think straight, but this was _Merlin._ How was Arthur supposed to react when it was his friend in question?

"I believe so…" Gaius cast a wary eye around the room. "Aha! I almost forgot!"

"What is it?" Arthur looked over as Gaius picked up a piece of parchment with a black ribbon tied around it.

"The letter from Hunith, I got it just before you arrived." He came over and sat back down, the parchment held loosely in between his fingers. Arthur found that his eyes were locked on it, wondering if this held the answers that they were looking for.

"What does it say?"

"I haven't had the chance to read it yet…"

"Read it out loud."

'_Dear Gaius, _

_How is Merlin? It's been a long time since we talked, and I worry for him. What about you? I am rather surprised by your sudden interest in Molly, it's been years since Merlin spoke of her._'

Arthur and Gaius exchanged looks before Arthur gestured for Gaius to carry on reading.

_'She was his best friend, they didn't know each other for that long, but Merlin saw a lost soul in need of help. Her and her parents had been on a journey from another village, her camp was attacked by bandits. She escaped but just barely, one of the men saw her run off and they followed. Merlin had been outside when she ran into town and was the first person to her. She did her best to explain what happened, but she was frantic, not making enough sense. Merlin took her back to our house and calmed her down, got her to retell the story with more sense. It took a while for the bandits to find her, Merlin noticed a few camped out on the border when he went to collect firewood. He did his best to keep her hidden from their eyes. But one day, when Merlin was out attending to his duties, she followed him out without getting his attention. The bandits soon saw her and took to our village; they wanted her dead so she couldn't tell anyone about what happened at the camp. Whether they killed her or not, she would have never told, living in fear of that day, shuddering whenever she remembered. Merlin did his best to hide her, they ran all throughout the village that day, seeking a new spot if the bandits got too close. He had told me that they found a cupboard in an empty room to hide in, they fell asleep there. When he woke up he found that the bandits had gotten to her in the middle of the night, killing her but sparing him for some reason.'_

At this part, some of the ink was smeared from tear stains.

_'Ever since that night, I can tell that he relives it in his nightmares, whether he cares to admit it or not. Only two years before he went to live with you did he find peace. If he has started to dream of that night again, something must have reminded him of it. Farewell Gaius, I hope to hear back on the details soon._

_Love,_

_Hunith'_

That stubborn tear Arthur was fighting finally broke free and was gliding down his face.

"I had no idea…" He whispered, staring at Gaius.

Gaius just sighed in response; a shocked look on his face that Arthur knew was reflected on his own face. There always seemed to be so much more to Merlin than the servant let on.

"But-" he took a deep breath "But he said Molly did this to him, surely he had to be mistaken! After all he did for her…"

"I don't know…I don't even want to go here, but maybe there's something Hunith left out…"

Arthur glared at Gaius. He didn't even want to go there. He got up from the table and went back up to Merlin.

"Are you all right?" Arthur asked, coming in the room as Merlin let out a small moan.

"I feel like I've been trampled by horses." Merlin sighed, not moving.

"Yeah…Sorry 'bout that…" Arthur said taking a seat next to the bed. He stared at his hands, his shoulders sagging, the exhaustion of the past few days started to get to him. Straightening up in attempts to wash away his sleepiness, he studied Merlin's face, hoping he could find even an inch of it that didn't look like it was scrunched in pain.

"Well you _did _knee me in the stomach…" Merlin turned over to face Arthur, grimacing in the process.

"You remember?" Arthur asked, raising his eyebrows. He couldn't help but wonder what else Merlin might remember.

"...Yeah…I also- _Oh! _No! No, I couldn't have, I…" Merlin's eyes widened with realization as more came to mind. "I _killed_ people!"

"Merlin, that wasn't you!" Arthur was quick to reassure him, a terrible look coming across his face. It didn't matter what he thought, he had to be there for Merlin.

"But it _was_ me! I killed him! Stabbed him without a thought! No! And Sir Geraint!"

"_Mer_lin!" Arthur yelled, making him stop mid-sentence. "It. _Wasn't_. _You_."

Merlin looked him in the eye, seeing he really believed his own words. "Bu-"

"_You were possessed!_" Arthur hissed, leaning forward. He barely even noticed that his hands were balled into tight fists by his side. He had to get Merlin to understand that it wasn't him; otherwise Arthur wasn't sure what the consequences would be.

"What!? What do you mean '_possessed'_?" Merlin managed to make it up into a sitting position, but he was wincing as he did so.

"Erm…Merlin I'm sorry to bring this up…" He looked up at his friend's confused face, "We found out about Molly…from your mother…"

"Oh." Merlin said quietly, looking down at his hands. Arthur wasn't sure whether it was to avoid looking at the king or not.

"She is the one who did this to you, right?"

"Yeah." His eyes didn't move off his hands. Arthur was sure now it was so that he didn't have to look his master in the eye. He didn't know whether it was because the memories were too painful for Merlin, or whether it was something that he considered private, Arthur just wished that Merlin could trust him more.

"Gaius found something, after I-erm-disarmed you-."

"Kneed me in the stomach." Merlin cut him off, the ghost of a smile lingering on his face.

"_As I was saying_…After I _disarmed _you, you started to say something…A spell…Gaius looked it up and figured from the meaning of the spell that you've been cursed."

"I thought you said I was possessed?" he asked, finally looking up.

"Well, the spell was meant to open the door to the spirits…"

"Well that explains all these everlasting cuts."

"I found something!" Gaius shouted from down the stairs. Arthur leapt up and ran down, trying to maintain a small amount of dignity as he did so. Little did he know, a chill ran through Merlin's spine at the same moment.

"What did you find?" Arthur gasped, skidding to a stop at the bottom of the stairs and trying to get as much information out of Gaius as fast as possible.

"It says here that in order to break a curse of this sort, you have to make the objective too much for the victim, thus making it too much for the castor."

Arthur just stared at him blankly.

"You would have to make the objective too much, meaning there would have to be too many souls for the sorcerer to keep track of." Gaius continued, realising that none of this was getting through to the King.

"So in order to break the curse…We'd have to cast a spell to bring all the spirits seeking Merlin…into him?" Arthur asked, thinking about the amount of pain that would cause his friend.

"I am afraid so, Sire." The old man looked into the King's eyes as he digested the new information.

"How…?"

Gaius gave him one simple look; that was all that he needed.

"Do it."

"But Sire, magic is banned in Camelot!" Gaius protested, making sure that Arthur did truly know what was being discussed. The last thing the physician wanted was for Arthur to change his mind and blame Merlin for it afterwards.

"I am the King Gaius, I will allow it this one time."

Neither of the men noticed Merlin lurking in the shadows of the room, nearing the exit. He had managed to get down the stairs and passed the talking pair whilst Gaius had been explaining what was happening to Arthur. Normally, he wasn't sure that he would have managed it, but both the king and the physician had been distracted. Merlin had taken his chance and gone. As they discussed the new thoughts that were forming in their minds, they heard the small thud of a door being closed.

"Grab the book!" Arthur yelled, sprinting after Merlin. Gaius followed in his wake, the pages of the book blowing as they ran, following Merlin as fast as possible.

"MERLIN!" Arthur yelled, stopping the raven haired boy in the centre of the square.

"I will _not _let you stop me, he deserves this! He deserves everything that has happened to him and more!" Merlin shouted, causing Arthur to stop.

The King stared at him in surprise. "It's…it's you…"

"_No_! It's me, Merlin, the pretty little servant _who killed his only friend_!" the man was leaning backwards as he yelled in a mocking tone, causing shivers to shoot down Arthur's spine. It was Merlin's voice; just Arthur knew it was not his words.

"_You_ did this to him! It's _your _fault those men died!" Arthur responded, jabbing the air accusingly in the Merlin's direction.

"And it's _his _fault _I _died! IT WAS _HIS _FAULT, HE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE PROTECTING ME!"

"You don't have to do this, Molly!" Arthur shouted, adding quietly over his shoulder to Gaius, "Say the spell!"

"Aww, picked up on that have you?" Merlin's voice was mocking, sounding as if he were talking to a disobedient child rather than the King of Camelot.

"Vindice spiritus, congregabo nunc, expellere qui-!" Gaius started over Arthur's shoulder.

"What are you doing?!" the vessel in front of them shrieked

"Habitat ibi, CONTRARIUM HOC PESTIS ET sublata MALUM!"

It all happened so fast. There was a shriek of protest then a burst of light, followed by a scream. Arthur stared into the despairing face of his servant. He knew Merlin had a higher tolerance for pain than most, he rarely complained about it, even when he was hit in the chest with a mace. But this was different, this was first time he has ever heard the young man yell.

All too soon, the light stopped and the boy fell gasping to the ground looking up at Arthur.

"Ar…thur…Make it stop- please!" he gasped, a pleading look on his face.

But before Arthur could respond with anything more than a look, Merlin was once again in the air. Penetrating the night sky was the most horrible noise Arthur had ever heard. One he wished to never hear again as long as he lived. Lights begun to flicker in windows throughout the castle, and the blue light that surrounded his friend once more started to fade. After what seemed like forever, a sickening snap filled the air as Merlin dropped to the ground, curled into a heap. Unmoving.

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**Sooooo...What'd ya think? :3 Is it as awful as I thought it was?**

**Siriusly, just be honest XD**

**But yeah, I hope you guys enjoyed it! You obviously don't have to review if you don't want to, but it'd mean the world to me! **

**And just a fair warning, it may be a bit till the next update. As it turns out, I actually haven't figured out how to end this yet...Well, that's a lie...My mom just ****_had _****to call me as I was writing a brilliant ending...Evilness...**

**Ok, I'm so sorry! I ramble! Even in writing!**

**Here's some virtual desserts for putting up with me! *Hands dessert of choice* **

**~TheReinbachDragonlordIsCrazy ~**


	6. Lost and Found

**A/N: Oh dear, I really am not impressed with this chapter...*sighs* Anyways, I did the best that I could with the editing, but alas...I hope you guys enjoy though! **

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"Merlin!" Arthur yelled into his ear for the fifth time, worry was coursing through his veins, flowing side by side with his blood. "Gaius, what happened?"

"I believe…aha!" Gaius pulled a worn, leather book down from the shelf and flipped through it, running his finger down the pages as he spoke. His brow was furrowed in concentration as his eyes almost flew across the words, clearly agitated. "It seems he was being possessed!"

"Possessed?" Arthur felt his jaw drop, astonishment racing through him as he glanced at his servant. He wasn't quite sure what to make of it all - Gaius wouldn't lie to him about something like this, but things always got so much more complicated when magic became involved.

"I'm afraid so Sire, it seems that Merlin was responsible for the recent string of deaths."

"But Merlin can't even hurt a fly!" Arthur exclaimed angrily, gesturing to the boy lying at his feet. He was shocked that Gaius would suggest such a thing.

"But it _wasn't_ Merlin! He is being possessed by vengeful spirits, those who have business left in Camelot." The old man explained, his voice practically dripping with forced patience as he stepped towards to king.

"Rache-?" he started, a confused look on his face as he stared past the older man, searching his mind for an answer.

"Is German for revenge." Gaius supplied, his shoulders sagged in relief as the conversation distracting him from further research died away.

Arthur stared down at his servant, unsure of what to say next. But apparently Merlin did.

"_Liminaspiritusaperuit_…_" _Merlin muttered. His eyes were still closed but seeming to be rolling under the lids.

Arthur looked up at Gaius questioningly.

"_Spiritus vindice mundi, adsurgere liberum in hoc noluit anima_."

"Gaius what is this, what is he saying?" Arthur asked, furrowing his brow. He wasn't plentiful on knowledge of the Old Religion, but he could recognize a spell when he heard one. And this one. This one was coming from his best friend.

Merlin broke into a sweat, teeth chattering.

"I don't know Sire…" Gaius said quickly, breaking through his reverie.

"Somewhere, in _one _of these books, you _must_ have a translation for this spell!"

"Sire I don't-."

"Gaius, you must have kept some of your old books, just check!" Arthur shouted.

The old man hobbled away, pulling down books. He then sat at the table and began flicking through them distractedly. Arthur picked Merlin up, carrying him upstairs and laying him on the bed. Feeling his forehead, he discovered a fever beginning to brew.

"Of course you'd be the one to go and get yourself possessed, you idiot." He murmured, shifting Merlin under the covers to keep him warm. He started towards the door, looking back as if hoping his friend would just sit up and snap back with one of his surly retorts. But of course he didn't. Arthur took a calming breath then went back down stairs the check if Gaius had found anything.

"Here!" Gaius said, just as the king opened his mouth to ask "The first spell means Opened the doors,' the second one means 'vengeful spirit of the world, this would not soar in the freedom of the soul.'"

"So he opened a door then…?"

"The second possible translation is 'Vengeful spirits enter this unwilling soul.'"

"So that would be the spell that was cast upon Merlin?" Arthur asked, sitting down across from the old man. This was beyond him; he wasn't sure what he was expected to do when magic was involved. If it had been any other person, he might have been able to think straight, but this was _Merlin._ How was Arthur supposed to react when it was his friend in question?

"I believe so…" Gaius cast a wary eye around the room. "Aha, I almost forgot!"

"What is it?" Arthur looked over as Gaius picked up a piece of parchment with a black ribbon tied around it.

"The letter from Hunith I got it just before you arrived." He came over and sat back down, the parchment held loosely in between his fingers. Arthur found that his eyes were locked on it, wondering if this held the answers that they were looking for.

"What does it say?"

"I haven't had the chance to read it yet…"

"Read it out loud."

'_Dear Gaius, _

_How is Merlin? It's been a long time since we talked, and I worry for him. What about you? I am rather surprised by your sudden interest in Molly; it's been years since Merlin spoke of her._'

Arthur and Gaius exchanged looks before Arthur gestured for Gaius to carry on reading.

_'She was his best friend, they didn't know each other for that long, but Merlin saw a lost soul in need of help. Her and her parents had been on a journey from another village, her camp was attacked by bandits. She escaped but just barely, one of the men saw her run off and they followed. Merlin had been outside when she ran into town and was the first person to her. She did her best to explain what happened, but she was frantic, not making enough sense. Merlin took her back to our house and calmed her down, got her to retell the story with more sense. It took a while for the bandits to find her; Merlin noticed a few camped out on the border when he went to collect firewood. He did his best to keep her hidden from their eyes. But one day, when Merlin was out attending to his duties, she followed him out without getting his attention. The bandits soon saw her and took to our village; they wanted her dead so she couldn't tell anyone about what happened at the camp. Whether they killed her or not, she would have never told, living in fear of that day, shuddering whenever she remembered. Merlin did his best to hide her; they ran all throughout the village that day, seeking a new spot if the bandits got too close. He had told me that they found a cupboard in an empty room to hide in, they fell asleep there. When he woke up he found that the bandits had gotten to her in the middle of the night, killing her but sparing him for some reason.'_

At this part, some of the ink was smeared from tear stains.

_'Ever since that night, I can tell that he relives it in his nightmares, whether he cares to admit it or not. Only two years before he went to live with you did he find peace. If he has started to dream of that night again, something must have reminded him of it. Farewell Gaius, I hope to hear back on the details soon._

_Love,_

_Hunith'_

That stubborn tear Arthur was fighting finally broke free and was gliding down his face.

"I had no idea…" He whispered, staring at Gaius.

Gaius just sighed in response; a shocked look on his face that Arthur knew was reflected on his own. There always seemed to be so much more to Merlin than the servant let on.

"But-" he took a deep breath "But he said Molly did this to him, surely he had to be mistaken! After all he did for her…"

"I don't know…I don't even want to go here, but maybe there's something Hunith left out…"

Arthur glared at Gaius. He didn't even want to go there. He got up from the table and went back up to Merlin.

"Are you all right?" Arthur asked, coming in the room as Merlin let out a small moan.

"I feel like I've been trampled by horses." Merlin sighed, not moving.

"Yeah…Sorry 'bout that." Arthur said as he took a seat next to the bed. He stared at his hands, his shoulders sagging; the exhaustion of the past few days started to get to him. Straightening up in attempts to wash away his sleepiness, he studied Merlin's face, hoping he could find even an inch of it that didn't look like it was scrunched in pain.

"Well you _did _knee me in the stomach." Merlin turned his head to face Arthur, grimacing in the process.

"You remember?" Arthur asked, raising his eyebrows. He couldn't help but wonder what else Merlin might remember.

"Yeah…I also- there's something...I just can't- _Oh! _No," the warlock shot into a sitting position, panic displayed on every feature, "No, I couldn't have, I…Oh my god, I killed people. Innocent, unarmed people."

"Merlin, that wasn't you!" Arthur was quick to reassure him, a terrible look coming across his face. It didn't matter what he thought, he had to be there for Merlin.

"But it _was_ me! I killed him! Stabbed them without a thought!" Merlin's breath suddenly caught in his throat and he swallowed thickly. His voice dropped in volume, coming out slightly hoarse. "I killed Sir Geraint. I got a dagger, and I stabbed him right in the heart…Sir Geraint was my friend." His voice was becoming thick with unshed tears.

"_Mer_lin!" Arthur yelled, "It. _Wasn't_. _You_."

Merlin looked him in the eye, seeing that he really believed his own words. "Bu-"

"_You were possessed!_" Arthur hissed, leaning forward. He barely even noticed that his hands were balled into tight fists by his side. He had to get Merlin to understand that it wasn't him; otherwise Arthur wasn't sure what the consequences would be.

"What! What do you mean '_possessed'_?" Merlin managed to make it up into a sitting position, but not without wincing as he did so.

"Erm…Merlin, I'm sorry to bring this up…" He looked up at his friend's confused face, "We found out about Molly…from your mother…"

"Oh." Merlin muttered, looking down at his hands. Arthur wasn't sure whether it was to avoid looking at him because he knew about it, or because he was trying to hide his emotions.

"She is the one who did this to you, right?"

"Yeah." His eyes didn't move off his hands. Arthur was sure now it was so that he didn't have to look his master in the eye. He didn't know whether it was because the memories were too painful for Merlin, or whether it was something that he considered private. Arthur just wished that Merlin could trust him more.

"Gaius found something, after I, erm, disarmed you-."

"Kneed me in the stomach." Merlin cut him off, the ghost of a smile lingering on his face.

"_As I was saying_, after I _disarmed _you, you started to say something…A spell…Gaius looked it up and figured from the meaning of the spell that you've been cursed."

"I thought you said I was possessed?" he asked, finally looking up.

"Well, the spell was meant to open the door to the spirits…"

"Well that explains all these everlasting cuts…"

"I found something," Gaius shouted from down the stairs. Arthur leapt up and ran down, trying to maintain a small amount of dignity as he did so. Little did he know, through the open door behind him, a warlock shuddered at the chill settling into the base of his spine.

"What did you find?" Arthur skid to a stop at the bottom of the stairs, trying to get as much information out of Gaius as fast as possible.

"It says here that in order to break a curse of this sort, you have to make the objective too much for the victim, thus making it too much for the castor."

Arthur just stared at him blankly.

"You would have to make the objective too much, meaning there would have to be too many souls for the sorcerer to keep track of." Gaius continued, realizing that none of this was getting through to the king.

"So in order to break the curse…We'd have to cast a spell to bring all the spirits seeking Merlin…into him?" Arthur asked, thinking about the amount of pain that would cause his friend.

"I am afraid so, Sire." The old man looked into the king's eyes as he digested the new information.

"How…?"

Gaius gave him one simple look; that was all that he needed.

"Do it."

"But Sire, magic is banned in Camelot!" Gaius protested, making sure that Arthur did truly know what was being discussed. The last thing the physician wanted was for Arthur to change his mind and blame Merlin for it afterwards.

"I am the king, Gaius; I will allow it this one time."

Neither of the men noticed Merlin lurking in the shadows of the room, nearing the exit. He had managed to get down the stairs and passed the talking pair whilst Gaius had been explaining what was happening to Arthur. Normally, he wasn't sure that he would have managed it, but both the king and the physician had been distracted. Merlin had taken his chance and gone. As they discussed the new thoughts that were forming in their minds, they heard the small thud of a door being closed.

"Grab the book!" Arthur yelled, sprinting after Merlin. Gaius followed in his wake, the pages of the book blowing as they ran, following Merlin as fast as possible.

"MERLIN!" Arthur yelled. The raven haired boy stopped in the center of the square.

"I will _not _let you stop me, he deserves this; he deserves everything that has happened to him and more!" Merlin shouted, causing Arthur to stop.

The king stared at him in surprise. "It's-it's you…"

"_No_! It's me, Merlin, the pretty little servant _who killed his only friend_!" the man was leaning backwards as he yelled in a mocking tone, causing shivers to shoot down Arthur's spine. It was Merlin's voice, but Arthur knew they were not his words.

"_You_ did this to him! It's _your _fault those men died!" Arthur responded, jabbing the air accusingly in the Merlin's direction.

"And it's _his _fault _I _died! IT WAS _HIS _FAULT; HE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE PROTECTING ME!"

"You don't have to do this, Molly!" Arthur shouted, adding quietly over his shoulder to Gaius, "Say the spell!"

"Aww picked up on that have you?" Merlin's voice was mocking, sounding as if he were talking to a disobedient child rather than the king of Camelot.

"Vindice spiritus, congregabo nunc, expellere qui-!" Gaius started behind the two men.

"What are you doing?" the vessel in front of them shrieked

"Habitat ibi, CONTRARIUM HOC PESTIS ET sublata MALUM!"

It all happened so fast. There was a shriek of protest proceeded by a burst of light, ending in a scream. Arthur stared into the despairing face of his servant. He knew Merlin had a higher tolerance for pain than most, he rarely complained about it, even when he was hit in the chest with a mace. But this was different; this was first time he has ever heard the young man scream.

All too soon, the light stopped and the boy fell gasping to the ground looking up at Arthur.

"Ar…thur…Don't- stop, please!" he gasped, a pleading look on his face.

But before Arthur could respond with anything more than a look, Merlin was once again in the air. Penetrating the night sky was the most horrible noise he had ever heard. One he wished to never hear again as long as he lived. Lights began to flicker in windows throughout the castle, and the blue light that surrounded his friend once more started to fade. After what seemed like forever, a sickening snap filled the air as Merlin dropped to the ground, curled into a heap, unmoving.

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**A/N: *gasps* There were no breaks in this chapter?!**

**I know, even I was surprised! Completely shocking, I didn't think I had it in me! Anywho, thanks for reading. Love you all! :)**

**xxXTheReinbachDragonlordXxx**


	7. Familiar Faces

**A/N: *whimpers softly and grips head* I THINK I'M GOING INSANE! This is supposed to be Chapter Six, as my Word says, but it's actually Chapter Seven?! And then it was originally called 'Lost and Found,' but my document manager said that 3 was called 'Lost and Found...' *wails* Well, Chapter Seven was a repeat of Chapter One, so this may or may not be an update and I am so confused that it actually kind of hurts...Anyhow, if this _is _an update...*jumps behind wall* I AM SO SORRY! I know I promised that I would be updating regularly, but I was an idiot and didn't finish before I started posting! I promised myself that I wouldn't be one of those people that takes _months _to update, but alas...I am so, _so _sorry guys! I'm going through the next few chapters, so I'm hoping to have two new ones up by the end of the week...thanks for sticking with me guys, I really appreciate it and I love you all Enjoy!**

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Time seemed to freeze in that moment, every sound sucked out of the Earth, focusing on only one thing. Directly in the middle of the main square, a young man with raven hair was lying limply on the cobblestone. It felt like slow motion when he finally ran forward, shouting his friend's name.

"Merlin," Arthur landed on his knees beside the servant, pulling him into his arms. "Merlin!"

The king didn't even notice as people began the peer out from behind their doors or look out of windows, curious about the noise that woke them. He didn't care that his voice carried, echoing through the square for everyone to hear that he was calling for his servant with such desperation littering his voice.

"Come on you _clotpole_!" the king hissed, swallowing hard against the lump in his throat as he shook the boy. He could feel the tears building in his eyes, threatening to fall and blinked them back furiously. The thought of holding his composure all but vanished into thin air when a nearly inaudible voice sounded from below.

"That's my word…"

"Merlin," Arthur laughed with relief, beaming down at his unbreakable friend. "Playing dead won't help you any _Mer_lin. In fact, I think that an extra ten chores might be good for you, get rid of that snarky attitude."

Merlin laughed feebly and tried to pull himself into a sitting position, though it was an admittedly hard task with the king's arms wrapped around him. His ministrations were cut short by a gasp of pain. Swearing under his breath, the warlock eased himself back down onto the cobblestone, eyes squeezed shut. What little color he had regained since the last incident immediately drained from his face.

"What is it?" Arthur asked, not even bothering to mask the concern that flickered openly on his face. He knew it was reflected in his tone as well and that he'd probably never live this down, but that didn't matter now.

"I think my leg's broken." He gritted out, jaw clenched as he glanced down his left side.

"You really are completely useless, aren't you Merlin?" the king couldn't help smirking at the face his friend pulled. In one swift motion, the warlock was in his arms.

"Whoa, what are you doing?" Merlin yelped in surprise, practically dropping right out of Arthur's grip.

"What does it look like I'm doing _Mer_lin? You're hardly in any state to walk." He shot back, leading the way back to the physician's chambers, Gaius trailing behind the pair.

After a moment or two of silence, Arthur glanced down to see Merlin fighting to keep his eyes open. "You alright there?"

"Fine, fine." The warlock murmured in response. The battle with consciousness was getting harder and harder with each step towards the room.

"We're almost there, alright, just hang on."

"I'm…I…" His eyes were hardly opening to more than a crack at this point.

"Merlin," Arthur growled. He glanced down, trying to shake the boy in attempts to keep him awake.

"Freya…" Merlin whispered in response. His eyes finally came to a rest, the ghost of a smile still etched across his face.

"Merlin," the king yelled again. This time, he gained no response. Quickening his pace, he called to the physician hobbling quickly behind him. "Gaius, come on!"

As soon as he reached the door, Arthur didn't even bother waiting for Gaius. Balancing easily on one foot, he swiftly kicked the door in, causing it to bang against wall with dangerous force, and swing back shut just as he slid in. The older man finally caught up, panting slightly as he burst into the room. The blond placed Merlin's body on the patient's bed for what seemed like the tenth time that week.

"Gaius, what happened?" Arthur asked frantically, stepping back from the bed and allowing room for the physician to examine his ward. When he got no response, the king simply huffed and began to pace, running his hands through his hair. He glanced over nervously as Gaius placed two fingers to the boy's neck. When he appeared to be unsatisfied, he moved down to the boy's chest, placing his head atop it. The words uttered next made his stomach twist in a way he didn't think possible.

"He's dead."

* * *

"Merlin," a soft, melodic voice called to him from the mist. "Merlin."

The young warlock studied his surroundings, searching for a face to connect the familiar voice to.

"Freya?" Merlin breathed, staring about him in wonder. He was awed by the scene that surrounded him, but he knew that it couldn't be Camelot, so _where is he_?

"Hello, Merlin!" a beautiful woman stepped out from the smothering mist, her smile wider than he thought possible. Her brown hair blew slightly in the soft wind, chocolate brown eyes shining with the light that surrounded them.

"It is you," Merlin breathed, awed at the sight of his lost love. "I have missed you so much!" He pulled the young girl into his arms, savoring the feeling of holding her after so long.

"Not as much as I have missed you!" Freya didn't stop smiling for a second until her warlock's lips rested softly on her own.

"I doubt that," he laughed, "But what am I doing here?"

As he began to look around, the mist became thinner and thinner, revealing small parts of the landscape at a time. They appeared to be standing on the grassy shore of a glimmering lake overlooking a cluster of snowcapped mountains. Glancing to the left, Merlin took in the dense forest full of dark green leaves, the right side holding a vast field dotted with wildflowers and stretching as far as the eye could see. Squinting slightly, he also noted the cluster of cows that stood on the horizon.

"Am I dead?" the warlock asked, suddenly alarmed. Freya, the perfect location, all arrows were pointing in that direction. But he couldn't be dead; there was still so much to do. Arthur won't last a day without him! Even with these thoughts racing through his mind, he couldn't help but notice the overall peacefulness of this place.

"No Merlin, not yet." Freya told him softly, the grin twisting into a smaller, sadder smile. "You are in limbo, a world between life and death."

"But- I mean, why? If I died, well…why didn't I just, um…die?"

"Even for the mighty Emrys, taking over forty souls into one's body has extreme consequences, Merlin."

This did not sound good at all. "But you said I'm not dead, if-"

"Nor did I say that those consequences would be death." She interrupted him, smiling teasingly as he stared at her blankly. Freya waited a moment to see if you would catch on, but when she saw that he wasn't making any progress, she explained. "Because _you_ are the mighty Emrys; greatest warlock to set foot on this soil, because you are a warlock _and _a Dragonlord, you have the power to choose in limbo. You can choose to come with me, move on from this life and be reunited with those you have lost, or, you can choose to go back. Return to those you love _in this life_, go back to your destiny and to your home."

Merlin stared at her in shock. "But…how could I ever make that choise?" He asked, his voice breaking as tears filled his eyes. He took her hands in his, taking a deep breath to try and calm himself as he leaned in, pressing their foreheads together. Sometimes he hated what choices his power granted him. Normal people would never have to make this decision. Then again, so many horrible things could have played out if he wasn't given _some _sway.

"This is entirely up to you Merlin, I'm afraid that I can't influence your decision."

Merlin dropped her hands and stepped back, nodding furiously, biting his lip as he looked up at the sky. 'So it's a choice between seeing everyone I have loved and lost, basically everyone in my life, or going back to the dangers of protecting The King and uniting Albion?" He ran a hand over his face and laughed bitterly.

"Well when you put it like that…" She muttered, looking sadly at the sweet smelling apple grass below her bare feet.

"I don't want to leave you Freya. Not again." The tears that clung to his eyelashes fell, marking the path for more tears to follow.

"Nor do I want you to leave, Merlin," she said softly, pulling him back so they were in each other's arms once more. "But you also have to think about Arthur, could he really go on without you? Could he unite Albion all alone?"

"I thought you said you couldn't influence my decision," he laughed thickly, more tears streaming down his face. Why did all the hard decisions get left to him? Sure, Arthur had to figure out when it would be best to send his soldiers out, not knowing if they were to see Camelot again. But Merlin…he had to make decisions that could influence his fate.

"But I never said that I couldn't make this easier for you emotionally. You don't have much time Merlin, the longer you stay here, the further away you are from the portal back to your life."

Merlin sighed, looking at his feet, taking a deep breath. "How much time do I have?"

"Ten minutes."

"Then let's make the most of it before I go back." He flashed a wide grin at her.

He knew deep down that he would always return to Arthur when given the choice, even if it meant prolonging the reunion with all those he'd lost on this painful journey. But if he was here with Freya again, if she was physically standing in front of him, solid as any other human being, why not savor the time they had together? Why not milk it for all it's worth? The couple settled down on a hill overlooking the lake, neither of them spoke; they just lay in each other's arms, taking in every detail of the moment. Trying to remember even the smallest aspect about it.

"Merlin," Freya whispered sadly. "You're going to get weaker the longer you stay."

"I know," he murmured, holding her closer. "But it's worth the time I get with you."

She beamed up at him before returning her eyes to the scene in front of her.

"So why here?" he questioned, gazing around at the beautiful scenery.

"There is never any reason why, it's just what your mind creates. It's your limbo."

"It's nice, I like it." He smiled slightly before continuing. "Of course it'd be somewhere with mountains-,"

"A few fields-," Freya's smile was even wider now. He almost feared that she would break that beautiful face of hers.

"Wild flowers-,"

"A couple of cows-,"

"And a lake." They both finished, fresh tears cascading down their faces as they remembered the wonderful days they had spent together.

"You really must go, Merlin." Freya sniffed as she shuffled to her feet, offering a hand to help the warlock up.

"But I can't leave you, not yet."

"But you must, Arthur awaits your awakening."

"I will always love you." He told her after a long pause, staring directly into her soft, brown eyes. The tears never stopped flowing down her lovely face; the emotion radiating off of him, the passion and kindness in his eyes. It was staggering.

He knew he had made the decision, he knew almost as soon as the choices were given to him, but that didn't make it any easier. Not when everything was so peaceful and perfect here.

"Not as much as I will love you." Freya whispered gently, her voice breaking at the end. She leaned in for one last kiss before he turned to the trees.

* * *

**A/N: Oh wow, this one hurt to write...I'M ACTUALLY PROUD OF THIS CHAPTER! *throws lady of the lake shaped confetti in the air*...though it's probably because I rewrote the entire thing, but alas...I AM SO HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THAT I CAN START UPDATING AGAIN! *sobs with joy***

**I love you all. Thanks for sticking with me **

**xxXTheReinbachDragonlordXxx**


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